Meeting Anders
by Caralina Winterheart
Summary: F!Hawke meeting Anders for the first time


**Meeting Anders:**

«Look, a lit lantern,» Carver grunted. «Guess that's where we're going then, sis?» Hawke brushed some dirt off her pants and stretched her hands to where the sky would have been had they not been in Darktown. «Yeah, I guess. Let's just go in with a bang, shall we?» she said and grinned, kicking the door in, albeit gently.

Her grin slipped off her face when she saw the scene before her – a little boy lying on one of the benches, worried parents hovering around, with a blonde man bent over him. "It's a good thing you brought him here this quickly" the blonde man said. "I don't think he'd have made it much longer without healing." The parents apparently didn't know what to say, just nodding mutely, worry darkening their eyes. A blue glow started spreading across the boys chest, and the blonde man started probing around with his hands in different places, muttering to himself. After a while, the blue glow faded, and the child started moving, slowly sitting up and looking around, seemingly a bit confused. "He should be alright now," said the blonde man, apparently the healer, supporting himself upon a nearby pillar. "Make sure he eats something light, then have him rest for a day or two. And tell him never to go jumping around on the piers like that again, the next time he falls in, he might not be so fortunate."

Hawke stepped aside as the family passed her, chatting happily, hugging each other close. "Ah, I remember...Carver, just as stupid, just as young.." she thought, but then shook her head. No time for sentimentality now, she was out on business. Important business. Slapping her customary grin back on, she headed over towards where the healer was standing, resting his head on the pillar, back towards her. "This shouldn't be too hard," she thought to herself. After all, he was a healer. He must have some interest in saving peoples lives, and that's exactly what he'd be doing by giving her his maps! But as she got closer, the man suddenly spun around, staff out, almost crouching, as if ready to fight. "I have made this place a sanctum of healing and salvation! Why do you threaten it?"

Hawke froze, taking a small step back, motioning for her companions to do the same. "Threaten? Look, sorry about kicking the door in...I didn't kick that hard, did I?" she said, throwing a disarming smile in his direction. It didn't work. As the healer's staff came up towards her, she jumped onto him, toppling them and landing astride his chest. "Point that somewhere else, will you? Normally, I'm all for attacking first and asking questions later, but I don't want anyone to get hurt here in this sanctuary of yours." The healer let go of his staff, looking stunned. Hawke grinned. "That's better! Let me help you up," she said, crawling off him and standing, offering him her hand. "I can get up myself, thank you," the man answered, trying to rise. But after a few failed attempts, Hawke simply reached down and grabbed one of his arms, hoisting him up and leaning him towards one of the benches. The healer ran a hand through his hair, mumbling out something akin to a "thank you" before taking a deep breath. "So. If you're not here to threaten me, why on earth did you kick the door in? Do you know what implications it could have had if I were to jump or look away when healing someone?" Hawke looked down at her feet, slightly embarrassed. She hadn't thought of that, and she should have. "I just...wanted to go in with a bang..." she murmured. To her surprise, the healer barked out a wry laugh. "I thought people went OUT with a bang, not in." He straightened up and looked at her.

Hawke heard Carver say something about "not if you're my sister", but didn't really pay attention. "His eyes," she thought. They were a warm, honey brown color, tired, but still with a spark of residual mirth in them, probably due to her comment. It was almost like they were glowing, pulling her in. She halfway raised her hand towards his face before dropping it back to hang at her side. "Sis?" Carver shook her shoulder. "Earth to Sis, you there?" Hawke shook his hand off, and looked away. What had that all been about? "Yeah, sorry, just got lost in my own mind there a moment. Don't worry, it happens a lot," she added when she saw the healer frown in...concern? Once again sticking her grin back on, she turned back towards the healer. "As for the going in with a bang part..I don't want to go OUT with one, sounds too painful. For me that is. While going IN with one sounds more painful for the other part, don't you think? Besides, it's fun!"

The healer shook his head, caught up between frowning and grinning himself. "Right. Well. That explains the door-kicking part at least. Now, do you mind explaining what your purpose here is? You don't look injured to me, nor do your companions." Wriggling her right foot, Hawke frowned. "Oh, I dunno. Think I might have sprained my toe, what with the kicking and jumping onto you and all. Wanna have a look?" she giggled, pretending to bend over to unlace her soft leather boot. Hearing Aveline cough in the background, she straightened up instead, grin fading from her face. "Look, uhm, I'm really sorry if I startled you. I don't think things through now and then," she said, ignoring the smirk on Carver's face. She DID think things through properly..most of the time..perhaps. "So do forgive me. I'm here on...important...business, actually. Well, important for me anyway. There are some rumors going around here pegging you as a Grey Warden, and I heard you might have a little something I could be in need of. A few little somethings actually. Maps. Of the Deep Roads." She saw the man stiffen, and decided to wait with what she was going to say next. Eventually, his shoulders seemed to relax a bit. "And what makes you think these rumors are correct?" he asked in a subdued voice.

Hawke turned around to her companions, chivvying them towards the door. Carver growled, but when Hawke frowned, he huffed and went outside with Aveline, claiming the scent of elfroot made him sick. "Look. These rumors aren't all over, and the people that seem to know keep it to themselves. I'm only asking because I really need some help," she pleaded, giving him a serious look. "I'm going to be venturing into the Deep Roads with an expedition next month, and we don't have a safe entrance set up. The information your maps contain will help save lives!" The healer laughed sharply again, looking down at his hands. "You have no idea do you? How dangerous it is down there. The walls closing in on you. The stench, the filth. And, of course, the Darkspawn. Just because there's been a recent Blight, it doesn't mean that the Roads are totally empty." Turning her back on him, Hawke huffed loudly. She knew all this. Had counted on it. And she was anything but a coward! Turning back, she prepared to tell the arrogant son of a bitch so, but stopped as she met his eyes. It wasn't arrogance burning in them, but a mix of sadness, concern, and something she couldn't quite name. She sighed. "I'm not totally unprepared. I've fought Darkspawn before. My family lived in Lothering when the Blight started, and we had to fight our way out." She smiled faintly. "I even took down an ogre...though...no, never mind." Shaking away the images filling her head, she looked straight into the healers eyes. "I'm fully capable of looking after myself, and the others, and I will be going on that expedition, maps or no. I'm simply asking for your help to lessen the risks. If you won't give them to me, just say so!"

–

He gently shook his head. Prepared or not, the woman really didn't know what she was asking for. The Roads were a nightmare, and he had no desire to help anyone get down there. _"But if she's capable..then perhaps she's capable enough to help us with something in return?"_ Of course! Why hadn't he thought of that? Sometimes, having merged with Justice was a good thing, he realized things he might never have been able to before. Looking over the woman's shoulder, he breathed in deeply. "I have no desire to give my maps to you..but perhaps we could make a deal?"

–

Her head came up sharply, eyes glinting. "A deal? What sort of deal? I don't do anything involving children or animals!" she said and winked. "A favor for a favor. I have a little something I need help with, so to speak. It shouldn't be anything too hard, I just need a lookout, but if something goes wrong, I'd welcome someone handy in a fight at my back." He looked away as he said this, but Hawke didn't notice. Pursing her lips, she said "I could stand to know a bit more about that before I agree to anything. I'll have to figure out who to bring, or who not to bring, as well as what type of weapons or armor I might need if there's going to be fighting."

–

"_Oh yes, not as innocent or carefree as she seemed,"_ Justice semmed to murmur appreciatively. He silently agreed. There was something about her that reminded him of the Warden Commander, though he couldn't put his finger on it just yet. "And that pout," he thought to himself and shivered, as he not so much heard as felt Justice growl in disgust. But it was true. She had a really pretty pout, the likes of which most girls could never achieve even when trying. And she was probably not aware of it, which made it even more endearing.

–

"Well?" she blurted out as the healer had fallen silent. He cleared his throat, looking a little flushed. "Right, well. I'm meeting a..friend..in the Chantry tonight. And I need to know that we'll be alone, unseen. Which is where you come in. If you'd meet me there and keep an eye and ear out, I'd feel a lot more..comfortable." Hawke cocked her head. That was all? There had to be something more behind this. "So. You're a mage. You're meeting someone in the Chantry, and it has to be a secret. I'm guessing the other person is a mage then? One not as privileged as you concerning freedom of movement?" It was quite easy to figure out really. She couldn't imagine an apostate wanting to speak to any religious figure, or a Templar. So that left only one option. After all, had it been just a normal person, meeting in the Chantry would be a needless risk for the man, as they could have met somewhere else. As she noticed him bite his lip (quite nice lips at that, really), she knew she had it right. "That's correct. Does that bother you?" She almost laughed. Was he _blushing_? "I don't see any reason as to why it would bother me, no, though I do prefer to stay out of the way when it comes to Templars. I really need those maps though..so I guess I'm in!" Grinning widely, she held her hand out to the man. "Partners in crime then! My name is Caralina Hawke, but you can just call me Hawke, like everyone else."

–

He couldn't help but to smile. Partners in crime indeed. "I'm Anders."


End file.
